NEW FACTORIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24530, 12 February 1941, Page 6

NEW FACTORIES

EXPANSION IN FIVE YEARS .MORE EMPLOYMENT GIVEN “ During the past five years, 1000 new factories, about 800 of them substantial, have been started in the Dominion,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr D. G. Sullivan, when addressing employees of Messrs Coulls, Somerville and Wilkie’s new greased-paper factory at Woodhaugh yesterday. “This fact is not properly realised by the people of New Zealand,” he said, “nor is the fact that this expansion has meant the employment of 18,000 more employees, 10,000 in new factories, and 8000 in older-established ones. One hundred and sixty-five of the new factories are making products not previously manufactured in the Dominion. Perhaps the very latest of the new industries is that of linen flax making, and it is worthy of note that 11 factories are now being built in this country.” The Minister was met at the factory by members of the firm of Coulls, Somerville and Wilkie, and Mr T. C. Somerville explained the steps taken by the company to start the manufacture of greased paper to meet the demand caused by the stoppage of imports from overseas. He asked the Minister to give the new industry encouragement by preventing the establishment of too many similar plants. Mr Sullivan congratulated the firm on the steps taken to establish and expand the new process. Industrial Relationships “ The manner in which this firm carries on is a lesson to New Zealand,” said Mr Sullivan, during the course of a visit to the premises of Messrs Cadbury Fry Hudson. From what I have seen and been told I can say that the relationships between employer and employee are cordial, the whole concern being conducted on the basis of a happy and contented family." The Minister expressed approval of the bonus system adopted in the factory, by which employees received above the award rate of wages, and of the operation of a Welfare Committee of the employees, which acted as intermediary when improvements to the workers’ conditions were suggested to the employers.